Posted: 10/6/2011 12:59:28 PM EDT
| Put together a new computer and trying to figure out what OS to put on it. I do not really want to pay almost $200 for Windows 7. How good is Linux? Are there compatibility issues with common software? |
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Linux is a different OS than Windows so Windows programs do not run on it.
But Much of what you pay for in the windows world is Free in the Linux world. I run Linux, and in those cases when I must use MS Windows, I run a virtual machine with XP loaded on it (under Linux). It works and is rock solid |
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Put together a new computer and trying to figure out what OS to put on it. I do not really want to pay almost $200 for Windows 7. How good is Linux? Are there compatibility issues with common software? There is no compatibility with windows software unless you do some wizardry (I'll leave the tech speak out), and even then, compatibility is hit or miss, with MOSTLY miss. You can do pretty much everything under Linux that you can do with Windows, but be prepared to relearn how to do everything, and in most cases, it will be done with inferior software. And as a disclaimer, I have been using Linux every day for 15 years. |
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But Much of what you pay for in the windows world is Free in the Linux world. Examples? All of the MS Office Suite Actually it is not MS Office but it is very Similar and it is compatible with Excel, Access, Word, Powerpoint and so on. FireFox is better than Internet Explorer. Many Window folk use it too. There is even a program (WINE) that will let you run many windows programs |
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Order a live cd of Linux (you can order one here). Try it out, if you like it, install it off of the cd, otherwise, purchase Windows, Or use Linux until you want to purchase WIndows, You can always dual boot, that is what I do. You can find alternatives to most Windows apps, but certain programs you need windows for.
Windows ––––> Linux ––––––––––––––––––––––––––- Photoshop -> GIMP Office -> Openoffice |
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But Much of what you pay for in the windows world is Free in the Linux world. Examples? I'm the worst to ask this since I basically use what I need and don't tend to clutter my systems, but I'll try CD/DVD Copying software DVD authoring software Office packages (open office etc) CAD, and NC Control software (for running milling machines etc) Photo editing software I would suggest loading up a Copy of Ubuntu since it is pretty popular and has a bunch of stuff (programs) that you can load up via the "Ubuntu software center". I am a Windows System Admin by trade, and I have run many different flavors of Linux but at the end of the day I just want it to work without a bunch of dicking around with it. Ubuntu does what I need it to do, If you want to be hard core and compile from source code etc, go for it, been there done that. I'll stick to what is simple so I have more time to do fun shit instead of dorking around on my system. I Have beed at this fo so long that I'm pretty much just as much at ease on Linux or Windows but I greatly prefer Linux. |
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You can get a distribution of a linux OS for free ( I like Ubuntu and we're using Fedora in class right now)
If all you're doing is surfing the internet and have no need for a lot of software, a Linux OS will do for you, and did I mention they're free/ 
Open Office will do anything that Microsoft office will do, FYI. |
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Every time I try dabbling in Linux I give up because spending 6 hours unsuccessfully trying to figure out how to do something I can already do in Windows without any hassle just isn't worth my time. I can play MP3s and surf the web in Linux but I need much much more than that. If that's all you need, have at it. |
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You can do pretty much everything under Linux that you can do with Windows, but be prepared to relearn how to do everything, and in most cases, it will be done with inferior software. The same can be said about moving from earlier versions of MS Office to Office 07 or later 
Open Office and LibreOffice on Linux, Mac, and Windows FTW. Quoted:
Every time I try dabbling in Linux I give up because spending 6 hours unsuccessfully trying to figure out how to do something I can already do in Windows without any hassle just isn't worth my time. Again, I feel the same way about MS Office 2010. |
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Every time I try dabbling in Linux I give up because spending 6 hours unsuccessfully trying to figure out how to do something I can already do in Windows without any hassle just isn't worth my time.
I can play MP3s and surf the web in Linux but I need much much more than that. If that's all you need, have at it. For me it's the other way around, I get on a windows and try to do something simple get frustrated and head back to linux. Want Simple, Get a Mac Want Power and ease in making it d what you want, Go Linux Want somewhere in between go Windows |
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You can do pretty much everything under Linux that you can do with Windows, but be prepared to relearn how to do everything, and in most cases, it will be done with inferior software. The same can be said about moving from earlier versions of MS Office to Office 07 or later
Open Office and LibreOffice on Linux, Mac, and Windows FTW. Quoted:
Every time I try dabbling in Linux I give up because spending 6 hours unsuccessfully trying to figure out how to do something I can already do in Windows without any hassle just isn't worth my time. Again, I feel the same way about MS Office 2010. If I had a nickel for every hour I've wasted fighting Office, I'd have millions. What a steaming pile of fetid syphilitic goat balls covered in rancid durian. ETA: if you're scared of technology, and don't like learning new things, Linux isn't for you. It's cheaper, it's faster, it's safer, it's more reliable, but it requires thinking, and it requires understanding what's going on under the hood. |
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Download and use the free Windows 8 Developer preview? http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/apps/br229516 |
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I know this isn't what you asked, but there is a free 90 day trail of Win 7. You need a hotmail account to download. If you get a sight license COA it can be entered at any time... In fact, I used this ISO to install clean on my HP laptop that came with no disks. It accepted the COA from the bottom of my comp no problem. |
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There is no compatibility with windows software unless you do some wizardry (I'll leave the tech speak out), and even then, compatibility is hit or miss, with MOSTLY miss. You can do pretty much everything under Linux that you can do with Windows, but be prepared to relearn how to do everything, and in most cases, it will be done with inferior software. And as a disclaimer, I have been using Linux every day for 15 years. And Quoted:
Every time I try dabbling in Linux I give up because spending 6 hours unsuccessfully trying to figure out how to do something I can already do in Windows without any hassle just isn't worth my time.
I can play MP3s and surf the web in Linux but I need much much more than that. If that's all you need, have at it. Pretty much mirrors my experience with Linux. I started messing with it way back in '99. I ran Ubuntu 10.04 for about 18 months as my sole OS in the house. Got many games working on it. But, as mentioned, it took a heck of a lot of work to do it, and they still had problems. (One game was really weird, random textures would be upside down or mirrored!) Then, a secondary storage HDD started having trouble, the kernal freaked, and after a few days of trying to figure out how to simple replace a secondary hard drive, I gave up and went back to Windows. Only Linux I run now is on my Phone. And I'm trying to learn how to root it and do stuff like that on it, and I am having flashbacks to the linux days. Every phone/distro is radically different from the next, and nothing is standardized... Sigh...... |
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Linux is fine for the non-technical home user if you are going to surf the web, do some basic desktop computing (images, movies, multimedia etc) and check email. If you are a gamer your favorite windows games aren't going to run on it since its a diff OS. I've been using different flavors of Linux on servers and desktops for a bit over ten years now. Currently I dual boot Windows (for gaming) and Debian Stable for my "everything else" desktop. For the Linux newb I'd say "Linux Mint debian edition" or Kubuntu (also based on Debian) is what you want since most of your vid drivers etc will be be included. You don't have to worry about virus's that much (if at all) in a patched Linux OS and with the debian based ones (see above) there are tens of thousands of software packages available for free. My 7 year old son dual boots windows XP and Debian Stable, 90% of the time he's using Debian for the free education games and surfing to places like cartoonnetwork.com to check all that out. I'd say loading up a Linux Mint (debian edition) machine and getting used to it is no more difficult than loading up a new windows OS and getting used to that. eta: one of my past Debian desktops:  another one:  |
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if you decide you want to stick with windows, Windows 7 home is fine. $99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116986 |
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if you decide you want to stick with windows, Windows 7 home is fine. $99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116986 is OEM one install? |
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if you decide you want to stick with windows, Windows 7 home is fine. $99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116986 is OEM one install? its for one machine, you can install it and reinstall it as many times as you want, but its for one machine. |
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I've had dual boot systems for years. I rarely go into pengiun land but I like having the option.
Before dropping the $$$ on Win7, install Ubuntu or whatever floats your boat and give it a try. As long as you're wired networking pics up you'll be posting in GD again in no time. If you don't like it go get a Win dvd. You aren't out anything but the learning experience. |
| I've been running Ubuntu Linux at work and at home for about three years. It's easy to download free applications and keep your system up to date. The only thing I know that you can't do on Linux is watch streaming video from Netflix. Linux has an office suite called OpenOffice that is very similar to MS Office, but not quite as advanced. It claims to be able to work with MS Word and Excel files, but I've seen compatibility problems with anything except very simple documents; you're fine as long as you don't try to move files between OpenOffice and MS Office. The good part about Linux is that it's free and virus-free. |
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Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: if you decide you want to stick with windows, Windows 7 home is fine. $99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116986 is OEM one install? its for one machine, you can install it and reinstall it as many times as you want, but its for one machine. Unless that one machine melts down and you build a new one using replacement parts recommended by the OEM. 
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You mean besides a web browser?Another Linux question: Is there an app with which you can watch Youtube videos on Linux? Youtube seems satisfied to have a Windows-only app to do this. Of course you can watch youtube videos on Linux.
Youtube is just flash player, and flash player is available for linux. |
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Flash Player is available for Linux, but doesn't work nearly as well (as in Windows). Do you like providing your own tech support? Do you like using a terminal (command prompt)? When something magically stops working on your system, are you comfortable farting around with controls that may bork the system? If so, then Linux might be for you. If not, spend the $200 and get Windows. Most of your programs will not work directly (wine does not work that well, contrary to what many will say) in Linux, but there are open-source analogues for many. That means learning all new software. Also, if you want to collaborate with other people, you'd better figure out how you'll make your OpenOffice file work really well in Microsoft Office (Hint: if you're doing anything other than typing, fonts and adjusting margins, it won't.)
Linux is great for certain things. For everyday use of a computer, it will make your life difficult. You will spend $200 worth of your time easily within the first few weeks just trying to learn everything new, and then double that in the next few weeks when you manage to break stuff in the OS. |